Luggage case



C. S. GEHRIE May 23, 1961 LUGGAGE CASE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 30, 1959 mz. 1.@ r 5 w n May 23., 1961 c. s. GEHRIE 2,985,265

LUGGAGE CASE Filed July 30, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CZdZZs S Ge&1,z'e,

wa wlw Z JiZcTrn EysA May 23, 1961 c. s. GEHRIE 2,985,265

LUGGAGE CASE Filed July 50, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

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Jitirqgys a 2,985,265 LUGGAGE CASE Charles S. Gehrie, Montclair, NJ, assiguor to Presto Lock Co., Garfield, N.J., a limited partnership Filed July 30, 1959, Ser. No. 830,662

7 'Claims. (CL 190-41) This invention relates to luggage cases. More particularly, it relates to a closure construction for soft panel luggagecases.

Soft panel luggage cases commonly are formed: by shape-retaining top', bottom and endwalls, and soft or pliant front and back panels which are joined to the, top, 2 bottom and end Walls to complete the enclosure. These cases, are provided with a closure permitting access to the interior by mounting a, slide fastener in the front panel.

The soft panel cases are a recent and radical departure from the conventional type cases wherein the case comprises a rigid container and the closure is. formed by a hinged lid. The new' cases have been widely accepted by travelers, and thissuccess is undoubtedly attributable to their low cost coupled with the feature that such cases can be conveniently provided in colorful patterns since. the expansive front. and back panels can be formed of fabric or other pliant or flexible material. The suitability of the soft panel construction for luggage cases is, however, dependent upon the use of, a slide.- fastener, since this obviates the necessity for providing; a hinged lid and this in turn makes unnecessary use of a rigid container.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved slide fastener closure for the soft panel luggage cases. i

The manner in which the aforementioned and other objects are attained according to the invention is indicated in the ensuing description taken in reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a luggage case according to the invention;

Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are enlargements of a portion of the case shown in Fig. l and. indicating, respectively, the case. slide fastener in the near fastener closed position, and in the fastener opened position respectively;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view taken along line 4--4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4a is another view taken along line 4-4- in Fig.

1, but having a portion of the case as viewed along the line 4'4 broken away in order to better illustrate the construction of the case;

Fig. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are end views of the case shown in Fig. 1, portions of the case being broken away in order to better illustrate the construction of the case;

Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 are end and front elevation views, respectively, of the case and showing the closure therefor in the open position;

Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 are, respectively, views taken on line 10-10 and line 11--11 in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a slider, connecting link and pull piece for use with a slide fastener as is used on the cases of the invention; and

Fig. 13 is an elevation view of the units shown in Fig. 12.

According to this invention, the luggage case includes a slide fastener operatively mounted in a face wall panel of: the. case to define a releasable closure member, anda-slide fastener catch fitting for securing the slide. fastener in closed condition, thus holding closed said closure member, said catch fitting being mounted on said face wall panel of the case. between spaced apart anchored ends of the slide fastener. The slide fastener extends from one end of the catch fitting about marginal portions of saidface wall panel and back to the opposite end of said catch fitting. In this manner the releasable closure member of the luggage case is hinged to the face wall panel at or along the catch fitting, and the slide fastener ends respectively terminate at and are anchored beneath the respective ends of the catch fitting, without necessity for use of means such as leather patches or the like to secure the slide fastener ends in place.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to corresponding parts, the luggage case there shown has side walls including top wall 15, which has secured thereto handle 22, bottom wall 16 and end walls 17 and 18, and further includes a back wall panel 19 and a front wall panel 20. The back and front wall panels 19 and 26 are formed of pliant material such as fabric, either natural or synthetic or other flexible material, and these wall panels are supported in the flat or loosely outstretched condition either by means of the side walls 15, 16, 17 and 18 being sufficiently rigid to provide a frame for the front and back wall panels or by a metal framework 21 (Fig. 7) which supports the front and back panels and also the side walls in the set-up condition indicated in the drawings. If'desired, the case can be without means to maintain it in the set-up condition, in which event the case is collapsed or not depending on whether or not it contains goods to be transported or stored. Alternatively, the case can be provided with but a single relatively rigid side wall, e.g. the top side wall 15, in shape retaining condition. The construction indicated in the drawing, wherein the case is normally in the set-up condition is preferred and the invention finds broader utility in this preferred construction.

A slide fastener 23 is mounted in the front wall panel 20 and defines a releasable closure for the case. As can be best seen in Fig. l, the slide fastener extends over a course which closely follows the side Walls 15, 16, 17 and 18, through the marginal portions of the front wall panel 20. The ends of the slide fastener 23, in particular the end 26 and the end 27, are disposed adjacent each other and intermediate the luggage case end walls 17 and 18, and adjacent the top side wall 15. According to the invention, a slide fastener catch fitting 28 is secured to the front wall panel in such manner that it overlies the fastener ends 26 and 27. The construction of the invention thus provides in the luggage case front wall panel 20, a closure 30, and since the front wall panel and closureare of pliant material, the catch fitting provides a hinge area about which the closure 30 can be moved to permit access to the bag. The manner in which the closure 30 can be opened is best illustrated in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, wherein the closure is shown in the open condition.

As is indicated in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, providing a closure according to the invention permits conveniently arranging the bag in the fully open condition, and further permits convenient disposition of the closure in an out-of-theway location, i.e. hanging over the topof the bag. The.-

pleasing appearance and suitable protection therefor is provided, and these advantages are realized without the,-

necessity of employing independent means such as leather patches to cover and secure the fastener ends.

The slide fastener 23 is a zipper brand type slide fastener including the metal teeth 31 secured in fabric edging 32, the slider 33, pull piece 34 and connecting link 35 securing the pull piece 34 and slider 33 together. The metal teeth 31 are mounted in fabric edging 32 in the usual manner and the edging is sewn in the front panel by side stitching 37. The ends of the slide fastener are secured in place beneath end portions of the catch fitting 28 as is indicated in Fig. and Fig. 11, end stitching 38 serves to anchor the ends of the fabric edgings 32 to the front wall panel.

A preferred construction for the slider, connecting link, and pull piece is indicated in Figs. 12 and 13. This construction is desirable for luggage cases according to the invention because it facilitates turning of the slider to follow the circuitous slide fastener course. As is there shown, the slider 40 includes a loop 41 struck up from the slider 40 to provide an opening 43. Connecting link 44 is formed of wire and bent into the shape indicated. The link 44 extends through the opening 43, and the out turned ends 45 of the link are disposed under the pull piece tongue 47 of the pull piece 46 in the manner that the pull piece is permanently and loosely secured to the link 44. This construction permits the link 44 to swivel in the loop 41, thereby facilitating turns of the slider 40 along the slide fastener circuitous course, such as, for example, the slide fastener course shown in Fig. l.

The catch fitting 28, as can be best seen in Figs. 4, 4a and 5, includes a downwardly open, hollow catch housing 49, and an upwardly open, hollow base plate 50, which telescopes into the housing 49 and is secured to the housing by the intwined ears 51. The base plate is provided with depending prongs 52, which are adapted to be passed through the pliant material comprising front wall panel and closure member 30, and are then bent over to provide clamps 52' which secure the catch fitting in place. Desirably, a mounting washer 53 is employed to aid in securing the catch fitting in place. The mounting washer is provided with perforations 54 adapted to receive the prongs 52, and the Washer is disposed across the inner face of the front wall panel 20 beneath the catch fitting 28. The prongs 52 extend through the washer, and when turned into clamping position, draw the catch fitting 28 into tight and uniform engagement with the front wall panel 20.

An alternative construction for the mounting washer is indicated in Fig. 7. In this embodiment the washer 56 is provided with an inturned flange 57 and the flange is secured by rivets 58 to the luggage case metal frame 21.

The operation of the catch fitting is indicated in Fig. 4a. The pull piece 34 is provided on its underside with a catch hook 61 which is adapted to be received in opening 62 of the catch housing 49. A slidable latch plate 63 within the catch fitting engages the catch hook 61, when the latter is disposed in the catch fitting, and secures it in place therein. The latch plate 63 is fixedly secured to the manipulatable finger piece 64 which is externally and slidably mounted on the catch fitting. Said finger piece 64 is spring loaded, by means not shown in the drawing, and is adapted to be manually retracted to release the catch hook 61 from engagement with the latch plate 63 by withdrawal of the latter. Normally, a lock mechanism, indicated by the reference numeral 65 will be contained in the catch fitting housing 49, and will permit locking the finger piece 64 and latching plate 63 against retraction and catch hook release. The reference numeral 67 indicates a key barrel for the lock mechanism. The lock mechanism and the spring mounting of the slider 64 can be of conventional construction.

As can be seen in Figs. 1-4, the catch housing overlies the slide fastener end 26 and the opposite end 27, and, wherea mounting washer 53: is emplo ed, the slide fastener ends will be held tightly between the catch fitting housing 49 and the mounting washer 53 (see Fig. 4a). Where a mounting washer is not employed, the prongs 52 can be positioned so that when bent over to clamping position, they will press the ends of the slide fastener against the catch fitting housing 49.

While particular embodiments of the invention are indicated in the drawings, other modifications are of course possible and it is desired to secure by letters patents all such modifications as are within the scope of the appended claims. 7

What is claimed is:

1. In a luggage case having at least one face wall panel of pliant material, an elongated hollow catch fitting secured to said panel at a medial marginal portion of a side thereof, a slide fastener mounted in said panel to extend circuitously through the marginal portions of the latter from one end of the catch fitting to the other, thereby providing said panel with a releasable closure member hinged to the panel at and along said catch fitting, said slide fastener having a cooperative slider to open and close the same, the slider having a pull piece for manipulating the same, said pull piece having a catch hook dependent from the underside thereof, said catch fitting having means to receive said catch hook in the closed condition of the slide fastener when said pull piece is disposed to overlie the catch fitting, and said catch fitting having m-anipulatably releasable means to engage the received catch hook, whereby to retain the slide fastener closed and thus the closure member in closed condition.

2. Ina luggage case according to claim 1, wherein a link means is provided to swingably connect the pull piece to the slider, whereby to facilitate turns of the slider along the circuitous course of the slide fastener.

' 3. In a luggage case according to claim 1, wherein the means to engage the received catch hook of'the slider pull piece comprises a latch plate within the hollow catch fitting and an external manipulatable finger piece slidably mounted on the catch fitting to which the latch plate is connected as a unitary part therewith.

4. In a luggage case according to claim 1, wherein the catch fitting comprises a downwardly open hollow top housing and an upwardly open hollow base plate tele-. scoped into said housing with means to secure the same together, and said base plate having depending prongs piercing the face wall panel and being inturned beneath the latter, thereby to secure the catch fitting in place, with respective ends of the catch fitting overlying respective terminal ends of the slide fastener.

5. In a luggage case according to claim 4, including a washer plate to underlie the face wall panel beneath the catch fitting, and the prongs passing through and being overturned upon said washer plate.

6. A luggage case comprising side walls formed by top, bottom and end walls, and a back face wall panel and a pliant front face wall panel joined to the side walls, an elongated hollow catch fitting secured to said pliant front face wall panel adjacent said top side wall and intermediate the end side walls, a slide fastener mounted in the front face wall panel to extend circuitously through marginal portions thereof from one end of the catch fitting to the other, thereby providing said front face wall panel with a releasable closure member hinged thereto by the panel material at and along said catch fitting, said slide fastener having a cooperative slider to open and close the same, the slider having a pull piece for manipulating same, said pull piece having a catch hook dependent from the underside thereof, said catch fitting comprising a downwardly open hollow top housing and an upwardly open hollow base plate telescoped into said housing with means to secure the same together, said base plate having depending prongs, a washer plate underlying the front face 'wall panel beneath the catch fitting, said prongs passing through said wall panel and washer plate and being turned over upon the latter, respective terminal ends of the slide fastener being disposed to underlie respective end portions of the catch fitting, the top housing of said catch fitting having an opening to receive the catch hook of its slider pull piece when said pull piece is overlaid upon the adjacent end portion of the catch fitting upon closing the slide fastener, a latch plate within the catch fitting to engage the received catch hook, and an external maniptb latable finger piece slidably mounted on the catch fitting to which the latch plate is connected as a unitary part thereof.

7. In a luggage case according to claim 6, wherein link means is provided to swingably connect the pull piece to the slider of the slide fastener, thereby to facilitate turns References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 800,484 Prahar Sept. 26, 1905 928,619 Wood July 20, 1909 1,680,652 Walinsky Aug. 14, 1928 2,154,235 Esterow et al Apr. 11, 1939 2,481,565 Boretz Sept. 13, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 647,633 France July 31, 1928 

